Numbering-machine.



1 To.'789,113.v QVPATENTED MAY 2 1905.

E. G. BATES.

NUMBERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY .7, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

BY W ZQATTORNEYS PATENTED MAY 2, 1905.

E. e. BATES.

NUMBERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY '7- 1904.

MwA1

' a ATTORNEYS PATENTED MAY 2, 1905.

B. G. BATES NUMBERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 7, 1904 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

- lTNlTED STATES Patented May 2, 1905.

ATENT FFIQE.

EDWIN Gr. BATES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE BATES MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

NUIVIBERING-IVIACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,113, dated May 2, 1905.

Application filed July 7, 1904. Serial No. 215,612.

To all 11/71/0122 zit may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN Gr. BATES, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city, county, and State of- New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Numbering-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to improvements in numbering-machines, and particularly to automatic hand numbering-machines.

My invention consists in certain improved mechanism for controlling the operation of the shifting movements given to the numbering-wheels upon each reciprocation of the machine for a printing operation, so that the machine may print numbers consecutively, in duplicate, or may repeat the same number indefinitely.

The objects of my invention are to simplify mechanism forthis purpose and to render the operation thereof accurate and positive, to provide means whereby it may be instantly discernible as to how the machine is adj usted that is to say, whether it is adjusted for re- 77 37 6s n peat, consecutive, or duplicate prlnting-and to so design and construct the parts that they shall be simple and easy of manufacture and unlikely to get out of order.

My invention also consists in certain details of construction and novel combination of parts, as will hereinafter be more fully pointed out.

I will now proceed to describe a numbering-machine embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features in claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a View in front elevation of a numbering-machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view in rear elevation of thesame. Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation with the stationary body portion of the frame in transverse section. Fig. 4 is a similar view with the parts shown in their depressed or printing positions. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional View, on an enlarged scale, showing the numbering-wheels and the actuatlng and controlling mechanism therefor.

Fig. 6 is a top view of the parts shown in Fig. 55, certain parts being broken away in order to show other parts beneath them. Fig. 7 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, of one of the numbering-wheels employed. Figs. 8 and 9 are detail views illustrating the action of the controller in setting the machine for indefinite repeat. Fig. 10 is a face view of a curved plate employed in connection with the controller. Figs. 11 and 12 are face and edge views, respectively, of an idler-wheel employed.

The framework of the machine comprises an inverted-U-shaped body portion 1, a tubular stem 2, uprising therefrom, and a baseplate 3. The wheel-carrier comprises a wheelcarrying frame 4 and an operating-stem 5. The operating-stem passes through a perforation in the U-shaped body portion of the stationary frame and extends upward through the tubular extension 2. To the upper end of the stem 3 is secured an operating-handpiece 6. The said handpiece is counterbored at 7 to receive the upper end of the tubular extension 2, and a coiled spring 8, coiled around the stem 5, bears at one end against a shoulder formed in the stationary frame and at the other end against a shoulder formed at the base of the counterbore 7. The stem 2 and handpiece 6 completely inclose the spring and stem, forming a housing therefor. When the handpiece 6 is depressed to depress the wheelcarrier, the tubular extension 2 is received within the countcrbore 7, within which the stem is allowed to slide freely.

The wheel-carrier 4 supports a wheel-shaft 9, the ends of which project beyond the frame of the wheel-carrier and are received within grooves 10, formed in the inner faces of the legs or standards of the body portion 1 of the stationary frame. This forms a guide for the wheel-carrier in its reciprocating movements and prevents the same from turning. The Wheel-shaft in the present construction is secured in the frame against rotation, a set-screw llholding it in position. A plurality of numbering-wheels 12 are rotatably mounted upon the stationary wheel-shaft 9, each numberingwheel comprising a disk having printing-numbers on its periphery and ratchet-teeth by which the said wheels may be rotated, there being one ratchet-tooth for each number on the periphery and one of the series of teeth being a deep tooth, as is common in this connection. In addition to the six numberingwheels here employed there is an idler-wheel 13 rotatably mounted upon the shaft 9, said idler-wheel having alternate deep and shallow ratchet-teeth. The numbering-wheels are each provided with stop-pawls 14, which engage their ratchet-teeth, and a similar stoppawl 15 engages the ratchet-teeth of the idlerwheel 13. A comb-spring 16 presses on the pawls 14, causing them to bear with yielding pressure against the ratchet-teeth of the numbering-wheels. A pawl 15 is provided with a wire spring 17, tending to force it toward the idler-wheel 13, with the teeth of which it is adapted to engage.

The operating-pawls for the ratchet-wheels are carried by arocking member 18, said'rocking member pivoted to the stationary frame of the machine by means of pivots 19. This rocking member is operated by means of rocker arms or links 20, which are freely mounted upon the wheel-shaft 9 and are pivotally connected at their outer ends upon a bar or spindle 21, carried by the said rocking member. The operating-pawls 22 are hung upon this bar or spindle 21 and are springpressed toward the numbering wheels by means of a coil-spring 23. The operatingpawls 22 comprise a bar having a plurality of teeth 24 of various lengths, which teeth are adapted to engage the ratchet-teeth of the numbering-wheels. The teeth 24 are progressively longer, so as to act as transfer devices at each complete revolution of any one wheel. This arrangement and construction is well known in this art, and any further detailed description of the operation thereof. is unnecessary. In addition to the teeth 24 the pawlbar also carries a tooth 25 for engagement with the idler-wheel 13. The length of the tooth 25 is such that when it is in engagement with any of the shallow teeth of the idler wheel 13 the remainder of the pawl-teeth 24 will be held clear of engagement with any of the ratchet-teeth of any of the numberingwheels. When, however, tooth 25 is received within one of the deep teeth of the idler-wheel 13, the pawl-teeth 24 will then be free to engage the ratchet teeth of the numberingwheels just as if the idler-wheel and the tooth 25 were not present.

Loosely mounted upon the wheel-shaft 9 is a controller 26, said controller comprising two arms 27 and 28, arranged upon the shaft at opposite ends of the numbering and idler wheels, and a curved plate 29. The arm 27 has three notches in its'periphery, 30, 31, and 32, the surfaces between the notches being inclined, so as to form, in effect, cam-surfaces.

The notch 31 is a shallow notch, while the notches and 32 are relatively deep. The arm 27 is arranged immediately between the idler-wheel 13 and the frame 4 of the wheelcarrier, and the pawl 15, which engages the idler-wheel 13, is provided with a pin or projection 33, arranged to engage the said notches. When the pin or projection 33 is received within either of the notches 30 or 32, the stop-pawl 15 will be free to engage the idler-wheel teeth; but when the arm is so turned as to cause the pin or projection 33 to be received within the notch 31 the pawl will teeth of the idlerwheel 13 and will be held out of such engagement for so long a time as the pin or projection remains in the said notch. The other arm, 28, of the said controller has a cam projection 34, which in certainpositions of the controller is adapted to engage or be engaged by the first pawl-tooth 24 of the pawl-bar 22. It will be noted that this first pawl-tooth 24 is wider than the others, so that it will not only engage the ratchet-teeth of the first numberingwheel, but it will also overhang same, so as to be in a position to engage or be engaged by the cam projection 34, the arm 28 being located, as will be noticed, between the first numberingwheel and the frame 4 of the wheel-carrier. In the present construction the position of the cam projection .34 is such as to engage or be engaged by the pawl when the controller is turned to cause the pin or projection 33 to engage the notch 32 in the arm 27. The cam projection 34 at this time acts as a blank to prevent the first pawl-tooth 24 from engaging the teeth of the first ratchet-wheel, and as the first pawl-tooth is the longest it consequently prevents all the teeth from engaging any of ler in this position reciprocation of the actuating-pawls will effect no movement whatsoever of the numbering-wheels. In any other position of the controller 26 the cam projection 34 will be moved so as to be out of the way of the first pawl-tooth 24, and the pawlteeth will be permitted freely to engage their respective ratchet-wheels.

The wheel-carrier is provided with an overhanging curved shield 35. to which is fitted the curved plate 29. The shield 35 has a window 36 cut therein, through which a portion of the face of the curved plate 29 may be seen. The curved plate has the words Repeat, Consecutive, and Duplicate printed,engraved, or otherwise indicated thereon, and in the various positions of the controller the portions of the plate bearing these different words are arranged to be brought opposite the window in accordance with how the controller is set, so thatthe condition of the machinez'. 0., whether the machine will print consecutively or in duplicate or will repeat- 1 will be instantly discernible to the operator.

the ratchet-wheels, so that with the controlhave been forced out of engagement with the The curved plate 29 is provided with two projecting lugs or extensions, as shown, upon which are secured handpieces or knobs &2, by which the controller may be conveniently operated by hand. These knobs or fingerpieces project upwardly to the side of the shield 35, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, rendering them easily accessible. When the handpiece 6 and wheel-carrier 4 are depressed for printing operation, the arms will be partially rotated around the shaft 9 by reason of their pivotal engagement 21 with the rocking member 18, the rocking member 18 being rocked about its pivotal supports 19 at this time. The pawl-bar 22 being hung upon the spindle 21, supported between the rocking member and the arms 20, will be moved rearwardly with respect to the numbering-wheels to engage a fresh tooth thereon, and upon a return movement of the wheel-carrier such pawl-teeth as have engaged ratchet-teeth of the numbering-wheels will give asingle stepby-step movementto such numbering-wheels to advance them a single unit. The pawls will so actuate the numbering-wheels after each printing operation when the controller is in its intermediate position, the notch 31 engaging the pin or projection 33 upon the stop-pawl 13 of the idler-wheel, leaving the idler-wheel entirely free. At this time the word Consecutive upon the curved plate 29 will show through the window 36 of the shield 25. During this time the pawl-tooth upon the pawl-bar 22 will be received within one of the deep notches of the idlerwheel, and the stop-pawl being out of engagement therewith the idler wheel will move backward and forward idly during the actuating movement of the pawl-bar, so that the pawl-teeth 2 L will be free to engage their respective numbering-wheel ratchet-teeth. So long as the controller remains in this position the numbering-wheels will be rotated progressively step by step at each printing operation of the machine. T/Vhen the controller is moved upward, so as to bring the word Duplicate thereon opposite the window 36, the pin or projection 33 on the idler stop-pawl 15 will be released from the notch 31 and will drop into one of the deep notches 30. When in this position, the stop-pawl 15 will be free to engage the teeth of the idler-wheel 13, so as to prevent any rearward or return movement thereof. With the parts in this position each reciprocation of the wheel-carrier for a printing operation will cause the pawltooth 25 upon the pawl-bar 22 to alternately engage a deep or shallow tooth of the said idler-Wheel, the pawl-tooth 24 being held out of engagement with the numbering-wheel ratchet-teeth while the pawl-tooth 25 is engaging a shallow tooth of the idler-wheel 13 and the said pawl-tooth 24 being allowed to engage the numbering wheel ratchet teeth when the pawl-tooth 25 is engaging a deep to shift them forward one unit.

tooth of the idler-wheel 13. At this time the printing operations will be in duplicatethat is to say, the same number will be printed twice in succession before the actuating-pawls will be permitted to move the numbering-wheels In other words, while the actuating-pawls are reciprocated at each printing operation just as when the machine is set for consecutive printing they will be held in an inoperative position during alternate printing movements. When the controller is moved in the opposite direction to a position in which the word Repeat upon the shield 29 comes opposite the window 36 of the shield 35, the cam-surface 34 will prevent the first or longest pawl-tooth 24 from engaging ratchet-teeth of the No. 1 numbering-wheel, so that while the actuatingpawls will be continuously reciprocated with respect to the numbering-wheels they will be held out of operative engagement therewith and the wheels will remain in the positions at which they are set.

The ink-pad carrier 37 is carried by the rocking member 18, being pivotally supported thereto at 38, and links 39 are pivotally connected at their lower ends by pivot-pins 4:0 with the said .ink-pad carrier and at their upper ends by pivot 41 to the wheel-carrier frame 4. When the wheel-carrier is depressed for a printing operation, the ink-pad carrier will be swung downward and outward out of the path of movement of the numberingwheels, being returned to its normal position in engagement with the peripheries of the wheels upon the return movement of the wheel-carrier. The link engagement 39 will swing the ink-pad carrier downward and outward about the axis of its pivotal connection 38, while the rocking movement of the rock ing member 18 will carry the same bodily still farther outward.

It will be obvious that the foregoing is but an embodiment of my invention and that the same is capable of many and varied modifications within the spirit and scope of my inven' tion and, further, that certain parts may be employed in connection with other parts of different construction. Hence I do not desire to be limited only to the precise details of construction and combination of parts herein.

What I claim is 1. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a plurality of printingwheels, an idler-wheel, actuating-pawls for said printing-wheels and idler-wheel, and a stop-pawl for said idler-wheel, of a controller comprising two arms arranged upon opposite sides of the said printing and idler wheels, and a yoke connecting the two arms across the said wheels, one of the said arms arranged in one position of the controller to engage the said stop-pawl, and to prevent its engagement with said idler-wheel, and the other of said arms arranged in another position of the controller to engage the actuatingpawls and prevent their engagement with said printing-wheels.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a plurality of printingwheels, a stationary shaft upon which said printing-wheels and idler-wheel are mounted, actuating-pawls for said printing-wheels and idler-wheel, and a stoppawl for said idlerwheel, of a controller comprising two arms loosely mounted upon said shaft upo'n opposite sides of said printing and idler wheels, and a yoke connecting the two arms over the peripheries of said wheels, one of said arms arranged to engage a projection on said stoppawl and to be held impositively thereby in any of three positions in which it may be set, and in one of said positions to maintain said pawl out of engagement with the said idlerwheel, and the other of said arms arranged in one position of the said controller to prevent the engagement of said actuating-pawls with the said printing-wheels.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a plurality of printingwheels, an idler-wheel, actuating-pawls for said printing-wheels and idler-wheel, and a stop-pawl adapted to engage said idler-wheel, of a controller including a rotatably-mounted member having three notches, each arranged .to engage said idler-wheel stop-pawl in different positions of the controller, one of the said notches arranged in a raised portion of the member, whereby the stop-pawl, when en gaged therein, will be held out of operative engagement with the said idler-wheel.

4c. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a plurality of printingwheels, an idler-wheel, actuating-pawls for said printing-wheels and idler-wheel, and a stop-pawl for said. idler-wheel, of a controller comprising means in one position thereof for preventing the engagement of the said actuatingpawls with the said printing-wheels, and in another position for preventing the engagement of said stop-pawl with said idler-wheel, said controller rotatably mounted about the axis of the said printing-wheels, and provided with a curved plate having thereon surface marks indicating the various positions to which the machine may be set, such marks arranged in the movements of the controller to register with a relatively stationary portion of the device.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a wheel-carrier, a wheelshaft supported thereby, a plurality of printing-wheels mounted upon said shaft. an idlerwheel, also mounted upon said shaft, actuating-pawls for said printing-wheels and idlerwheel, and a stop-pawl for said idler-wheel, of a controller comprising arms mounted upon the wheel-shaft at opposite ends of the series of wheels carried thereby, and a curved plate connecting the two arms beyond the peripheries of the said wheels, one of said controllerarms adapted to engage the actuating-pawls and prevent their operative engagement with the printing-Wheels, and the other of said arms adapted to engage the stop-pawl for the idlerwheel, and prevent its operative engagement with the said idler-wheel, the said curved plate having surface marks thereon indicating the position to which the machine is set.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a wheel-carrier, a wheelshaft supported thereby, a plurality of printing-wheels mounted on said shaft, an idlerwheel, also mounted on said shaft, actuatingpawls for said printing wheels and idlerwheel, and a stop-pawl for said idler-wheel,

said wheel-carrier provided with a curved shield concentric with the axis of the said wheel-shaft, of a controller for said actuating means, said controller comprising a portion rotatably mounted on said wheel-shaft, and a curved plate fitted to the curved shield of said wheel-carrier, said curved plate and shield having, the one surface marks thereon for indicating the various positions of the machine, and the other a window for disclosing the said surface marks.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of June, 1904.

EDWIN Gr. BATES. Witnesses:

A. B. CARHART, C. L. HALL. 

